Here are baseball thoughts and some quotes that I thought all youth baseball coaches would appreciate. There are too many hot dog players and coaches in youth baseball today. I think we should honor the game of baseball by example. Most of it is just common sense and courtesy. I am not giving you any secret formula for success. Let’s behave like mature adults and remember that we do not have a team full of future professional baseball players even if others think otherwise.

Everyone on the team must be willing to trade sweat, effort, and sacrifice for success. Looking at yourself as a player, I criticize it. There are too many egoists among today’s players. Selfishness is the anesthetic that deadens the pain of stupidity.

Success is expensive. You must trade something solid in yourself for success.

Focus on improving your weaknesses. It’s more obvious than your strengths.

No player becomes successful by giving up. Keep trying.

If your coach criticizes you, it indicates that he is watching you, so thank him.

Never alibi. Apologies never win games.

Be confident. Tell yourself, I can, I will, I must.

Be a good team player. Encourage your teammates and cooperate with them. They in turn will do the same.

Do not yell at the officials or referees. They are rarely responsible for your success, so don’t blame them for your failure.

Your conduct, both on and off the field, is a real test for you as an individual. It reflects your degree of trustworthiness, responsibility and the extent of your self-sacrifice.

Here are some anonymous quotes…

If what you did yesterday still seems great to you, you haven’t done much today.

The coach may not always be right, but the coach is always.

When I won, I thought I was lucky, but the more I work, the luckier I get.

Every athlete has problems, winners handle theirs.

The player who refuses to be beaten is hard to beat.

Not always a winner, but never a loser.

If you know someone who has always been treated fairly, get a witness: you are seeing a miracle.

Repetition is the mother of education.

I’ll fix myself and maybe my luck will come.

Enthusiasm is like a coat of paint: it covers many mistakes.

Little things make big things.

The surest way to not fail is to be determined enough to succeed.

The player who does what he pleases is seldom satisfied with what he does.

When a winner makes a mistake, he says I was wrong. A loser is wrong, he tells him, it wasn’t my fault.

Hustle! Can’t survive without.

Enthusiasm and action will overcome fear.

The biggest key to success is a good attitude.

If you think you’re good, why not be better? If you think you are better, then be the best.

Winning is not everything, but wanting to win is.

It takes a cool head to win a hot game.

I’ll leave you with this, it refers to more than just baseball.

You can never get ahead of someone while you are trying to get back at them.

Thanks for your time, I hope these quotes, the ones without quotes, help you get through this long winter waiting for the baseball season to start.

Thanks again Coach Chip